Sometimes you find a postcard, and sometimes a postcard finds you.
After last week’s post and other musings on my desire to slow down and enjoy the simple moments, the postcard above arrived from Frank in Germany. As I went the Spanish route in high school and know exactly zero German (except, you know, gutentag), I had to rely on alternate help.
Since I couldn’t find an English translation of “Kleines Glück” online, I did some investigative work — and that turned out to be the most fun I had all day. Google Translate never lets me down. For someone madly in love with words, examining the sentiment behind the poem — “Little Pleasures” or “Small Fortune” in English, I think — was fascinating.
I went through the alternate translations for every word, stitching Irmgard Erath’s poem together like a quilt. I’m sure it’s not perfect, but that’s okay. Like all art, it’s open to interpretation. And this time? The interpretation was mine. That feeling was bold and empowering. It felt like deciphering an ancient text — and this text was all too applicable to my own life.
“Little Pleasures” reminds me how truly alike we all are. And how, with our incredible technology, not even language can separate us now.
Little Pleasures
by Irmgard ErathEach day carries thousands of possibilities
for joy, for hope
and is a small fortune in itself:
Very quietly and unnoticed
in the midst of this noisy world
can the magnificent happen.
There are those small events
that make life bright and beautiful —
those precious moments
of which only the heart knows.
write meg! 
Thanks for sharing this quote Meg. I have a dear friend who’s been struggling and I know that this quote will lift her spirits this morning. Have already sent her way.
Hope you have a wonderful day!
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That is so very cool! I didn’t know about postcrossing. There is something very alluring about random postcards finding their way to my door.
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That’s gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing and for the hard work of piecing it all together (like a quilt, what a beautiful image!) for us to enjoy. I hope you have a wonderful day and find more of these small, magnificent moments in your life 🙂
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Beautiful and very timely. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this, Meg!
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What a lovely poem!!
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Now that was just lovely!!!
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Oh that’s beautiful! I love it.
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That’s a nice poem. I don’t think I would have the patience to do that (and if the poem in question was in fact German I’d ask my cousin to translate it!). I think I’m going to sign up for Post Crossings after I move. It sounds like a great program.
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Like I already said on Twitter: I love the poem. I didn’t know at that time that you don’t know German, how cool to have it translated nonetheless!
I love Postcrossing too, it always brings a smile on my face when finding little treasures in my mailbox!
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